Taxi driver forced to flee from his cab by 30-strong mob

A TAXI driver was pelted with stones and robbed by a gang of teenage thugs - who then smashed up his car.

Cabbie Mohammed Irfan who had to abandon his car after it was attacked

A TAXI driver was pelted with stones and robbed by a gang of teenage thugs - who then smashed up his car.

A 30-strong mob - some as young as 10 - surrounded Mohammed Irfan's taxi as he waited to collect a fare on Mount Road, Alkrington.

After blocking the road the gang kicked and punched the P-reg blue Toyota Carina before forcing the 24-year-old cabbie to flee his car, stealing his car keys, mobile phone and around £60 in cash.

The thugs then took the car on a joyride before dumping it on nearby Uplands.

Mr Irfan, who has worked for Royal Cars, based on Lakeland Court, Langley for just 12 months and is originally from Pakistan, said the vehicle's front screen and side windows were smashed in the attack on the 28 September at around 10.30pm and that he had been forced to scrap the car.

He said: "There was about 25 - 30 kids running around on the road when I was trying to turn around at the roundabout.

"They started to run across the road to try and slow the car down and then they started pounding on it and attacking the car.

"They threw a plastic bottle at my face but it did not hit me, took my car keys, mobile phone and about £60 in cash. It was frightening I just ran away. I ran to the Lancashire Fold pub and called the police. The kids were still attacking the car.

Scrapped

"The car has had to be scrapped and it has cost me around about £1,000 to get another one."

An Alkrington resident, who lives nearby to where the vicious attack happened but did not wish to be named, said: "In the last three weeks there have been 60 to 70 youths congregating at a time. It is a very serious issue and the gangs are congregating around the shops.

"It is the kind of thing we do not want to have to live with. We need more police patrols in the area."

A police spokesman confirmed they had attended the incident.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Middleton police on 0161 8725050 or Crimestoppers, anonymously and in complete confidence, on 0800 555 111.

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